Category Archives: Reviews

TIFF FILM REVIEW: George Clooney’s ‘The Ides of March’

Posted on September 9, 2011 by admin

By Ray Bennett TORONTO – The title “The Ides of March” gives away what George Clooney thinks about politics: it’s a place where people will stab you in the front. As director, star and one of the writers, Clooney delivers … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Reviews | Tagged 'The Ides of March', George Clooney, Jeffrey Wright, Marisa Tomei, Paul Giamati, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Ryan Gosling, Toronto International Film Festival | Comments Off

FILM REVIEW: ‘Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy’

Posted on September 5, 2011 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – The pleasures of a John le Carré novel on top of the sublime writing come less from plot than from atmosphere and character and that is why his best spy novels make splendid miniseries, not … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Reviews | Tagged 'Tinker, Alec Guinness, Benedict Cumberbatch, Colin Firth, Focus Features, Gary Oldman, John Le Carre, Mark Strong, Soldier, Spy', Studiocanal, Tailor, Tom Hardy, Venice International Film Festival, Working Title | 1 Comment

THEATRE REVIEW: ‘South Pacific’ at the Barbican

Posted on August 25, 2011 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – The big numbers in the Rodgers & Hammerstein musical “South Pacific” are so entertaining that the Tony Award-winning Broadway production at the Barbican until Oct. 1 is irresistible even though the production is a bit … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews, Theatre | Tagged 'South Pacific', Bartlett Sherr, Paulo Szot, Rodgers & Hammerstein, Samantha Womack, The Barbican, Tony Awards | Comments Off

THEATRE REVIEW: ‘Anne Boleyn’ at Shakespeare’s Globe

Posted on August 21, 2011 by admin

By Ray Bennett Finally made it to Shakespeare’s Globe in London to catch Howard Brenton’s Tudor romp “Anne Boleyn” before it closes today. A hit this summer as it was on its debut last year, the crowd- and critic-pleasing production … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews, Theatre | Tagged 'Anne Boleyn', 'Foyle's War', 'Spooks', Anthony Powell, Howard Brenton, James Garnon, Miranda Raison, Shakespeare's Globe | Comments Off

FILM REVIEW: ‘The Guard’ starring Brendan Gleeson

Posted on August 20, 2011 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – There is a fish out of water in John Michael McDonagh’s entertaining Irish crime yarn “The Guard” but it’s not the black American FBI agent parachuted into Galway on the hunt for a gang of … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Reviews | Tagged 'The Guard', Brendan Gleeson, Calexico, Don Cheadle, Fionnula Flanagan, John Michael McDonagh, Larry King, Liam Cunningham, Mark Strong, Optimum Releasing | Comments Off

FILM REVIEW: J. J. Abrams’s ‘Super 8’

Posted on August 5, 2011 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – Pity the poor kids who flock to see “Super 8”, the new film from J.J. Abrams and Steven Spielberg about kids and aliens that Paramount releases in the UK today. It’s not just that once … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Reviews | Tagged 'Super 8', Elle Fanning, J.J. Abrams, Joel Courtney, Kyle Chandler, Paramount, Steven Spielberg | Comments Off

MUSIC REVIEW: CBSO plays film music by Anthony Hopkins

Posted on July 28, 2011 by admin

By Ray Bennett In an evening of film scores played impeccably by the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Howard Shore’s theme from “The Silence of the Lambs” caused shivers and every attempt was made to warn that Hannibal Lecter was … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Music, Reviews | Tagged Anthony Hopkins, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Dirk Brosse, Julie Edwards, Michael Seal, Tommy Pearson | 1 Comment

FILM REVIEW: ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides’

Posted on May 10, 2011 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow is back in excellent form for his fourth adventure in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, which is more serious in the hands of a new director, Rob … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Reviews | Tagged 'Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides', Dariusz Wolski, Geoffrey Rush, Hans Zimmer, Ian McShane, Johnny Depp, Keith Richards, Kevin McNally, Penelope Cruz, Rob Marshall | Comments Off

FILM REVIEW: Paul Bettany, Maggie Q in ‘Priest’

Posted on May 6, 2011 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON — “Priest”, directed by Scott Stewart, is a short, dour and stodgy creature feature with average 3D effects that draws on so many film influences from westerns, action adventures and sci-fi tales that what fun there … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Reviews | Tagged 'Priest', Cam Gigandet, Christopher Plummer, Christopher Young, Karl Urban, Lily Collins, Maggie Q, Paul Bettany, Scott Stewart | Comments Off

THEATRE REVIEW: ‘London Road’ at the National

Posted on April 15, 2011 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – “London Road” is a documentary musical about the impact of a serial killer on one community with words spoken and sung to match the original phrasing and cadence of people who lived where the murders … Continue reading →

Posted in Music, Reviews, Theatre | Tagged 'London Road', Adam Cork, Alecky Blythe, National Theatre, Rufus Norris. Katrina Lindsay | Comments Off